The attempts to justify the manned space program by describing the amount of scientific research it has accomplished are due to failure for two reasons. 1. The scientific results don't come close to justifying the enormous costs in lives and money. 2. It is clear that the reasons of those who support the continuation of manned space exploration (and that includes myself) have little to do with scientific research. Manned flight is something like climbing Mt. Everest (another dangerous and expensive activity). Everest climbers may use all sorts of reasons to get the necessary funding to make the climb (scientific research, documentaries, publicity for sponsors, book contracts), but none of them claim that the real reason they climb Everest is so that they can film a new documentary. They do it because in some strange way, reaching the top of Everest gives them a sense of accomplishment and meaning in their lives...because it's there. Let's not pretend that manned space flight is any different. Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon were truly an historic event, because the human race was able to land someone safely on Earth's Moon and not because of the geological data (as important and interesting as it might be) that was gathered during the trip. If the real goal was merely to gather Moon rocks, there were much, much safer (and cheaper) ways of doing so. The manned space program should be about exploration. It should be about "going where no man has gone before". It should be about extending ourselves and replenishing the human spirit because we human beings need great art and great music and great challenges. And that is a goal that IS worth the risk and cost of manned space exploration. The human race has enough resources for this goal, and the burden - and privilege - of striving for this goal shouldn't fall solely on the United States. Ed Ehrlich - SkyWatch - The Astronomical Alarm Clock <webmaster@sky-watch.com> Jerusalem, Israel http://www.sky-watch.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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